Spring beard-needle.



A. M. PIGEON.

SPRING BEARD NEEDLE.

APPLICATION FILED'FEB. 16. l9l6.

Patented July 2, 1918.

ALBERT M. JPIGJEON, 01F NORRISTOWN, PE

nnsrnvama, assrenoaf ro vvrnioivran Mrs.

00., 01!! NORS'JLOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVIA.

SPRING BEARD-NEEDLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ma a, rat.

Application filed February 16, 1916. Serial No. 78,695.

' cation.

My invention refers to spring beard needles, and particularly to the needle hooks hereinafter referred to as the nose, and to the stem opposite to the beard, and above the point thereof, herein designated as the head.

The main purpose of the peculiar form of the nose is to make plating more positive than heretofore, but the angle of the bend lends itself to other uses. Casting 0d the loops more easily and lessening the possibility of splitting the yarn as the needle rises through the fabric loops, are results obtained in addition to plating.

The principal purpose of the crooked or bent head, is to prevent cutting holes, weakening or rupturing the yarn fibers of the instep stitches, and of the heel and toe gore stitches held by the. elevated, inoperative needles when knitting heel and toe pockets.

The needle is especially desirable for machines that are direct fed, but it is also advantageous in machines that are sinker fed.

Both the angular nose, and the crooked or bent head, contribute to free casting otf loops, avoiding splitting threads and to improved plating.

Figure 1 shows a spring needle having a hook or nose with an acute bend, higher than the larger or main bend, and adapted to hold one or more yarns separated from the yarn or yarns of the larger bend.

Fig. 2 shows a spring needle of the common form.

Fig. 3 shows the common form of-spring needle, and a Web holder forced against the instep or gore stitches in the usual way.

Fig. 4 shows my plating nose needle drawing and forming loops over the web holder with the main, and plating yarns separated.

Fig. 5 shows my improved needle having both the plating nose, and the crooked, or bent head.

Fig. 6 shows my needle holding the main and plating yarns separated, and a web holder shown in solid lines having knocked over the loop of the active needle, and showing the holder in dotted lines in normal position with reference to instep or gore needles that are inoperative in their elevated position.

As stated above, Fig. 1 shows a needle having a nose formed with angular bends, whereas the usual spring beard needle has a true half round bend, as shown in Fig. 2.

This double bend may be described as an angular hook nose. The highest, and small acute bend- 7, is of such size relative to the yarn, that it may hold one yarn to the exclusion of another, which other yarn is compelled to lie underneath it. In direct feed machines the lengths of loops are determined by the retraction of the needle between the web holders, and through the fabric loops. The yarn held in the highest or acute bend will make a shorter loop than the other yarn lower down inthe needle nose, see Fig. 4. During loop formation a division of the yarn ismaintained. With round nose needles the two yarns may become crossed or displaced.

T have referred to the two threads of yarn as if they were single strands. It should be understood that two or more main yarns, and two or more plating strands may be used. It is important that the plating and main yarns beseparated, and the working edect with my needle is the same 'whether one strand is used or two or more are fed together for plating, more used as main threads.

lit is common practice to separate the main and plating yarns as they are being fed to the needles. Cranes Patent 1,027,034, Figs. 2728, also Wilcomb #1073309, Fig. 4, show how yarns are fed to the needles widely separated. My needle provides for holding the yarns separated after they are fed to the needles. Round nose needles do not preserve this division to any reliable degree, and after the yarn is fed widely separated, a very little resistance, or friction on one yarn will cross the threads-mix them up and destroy, or reverse the desired platin result. My needle, by reason of. its pecu iar form, holds the main and plating yarns in fixed divided relation to each other, and any unusual and intermittent tension on one or both'of the threads, will not displace them. The yarn occupying the small acute nose bend will stay there to the exclusion of other threads.

Tn stocking knitting, the crooked or bent and two or head 8 pr events cutting of the gore and instep loops on the inoperative raised needles. Fig. 3 shows a needle without this crooked head. A Web holder 9 is shown, and it is to be seen that the distance from the front of (3 shows a needle having my crook or bends in the head at 8 and in the nose at 7. In this view it is evident that the distance from inside the nose to the web holder throat is greater than the distance from the front of the inoperative needle to the throat of the;

web holder.

\Vith this form of needle the web holders need not push so hard against the loops of the gore and instep held by the raised inoperative needle, but will occupy a position relative to the needle represented substantially by dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 6, and the cutting of loops by the web holder is obviated.

This crooked or bent head 8 facilitates casting off loops, and prevents splitting the yarn as the operative needle (next to the ele vated inoperative needle having a loop on it,) rises after casting ofi its loop.

The crooked head, and the-plating nose needle, have other advantages, and the needle may have the plating nose without the bent head, or the bent head Without the plating nose. Both features independently contribute to plating, and to freer casting ofi', and avoiding splitting threads.

However, I prefer the needle with both plating nose and the crooked head, shown in Fig. 6, they being contributing factors in plating. casting off, reducing to a minimum the liability of splitting loops, and cutting the gore and instep loops in heel and toe knitting.

It will be observed that the point of the nose is directed upwardly and forwardly. The needle heard at its point occupies about the same position to the needle stem as in ordinary practice, the bend in the head occurring at a point above the lower end or point of the needle beard.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A' spring beard needle having the head bent forward toward the beard at a point above the lower end of the beard, and the nose having two angular bends, with a substantially straight portion between said bends.

A spring beard needle having its head inclining forwardly and with a nose also inclining forwardly and upwardly to its point of junction with the beard, presenting two angular bends, one at the junction of the inclined nose with the stem, and the other at the junction of the inclined nose with the beard, substaritially as described.

In testimony whereof. I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT M. PIGEON.

\Vitnesses E. R. Ronnu'rs, OWEN BALLARD. 

